I?m looking for a scope for a Ruger American Rifle in 7mm-08 that I bought not too long ago. Cabelas has the one I mentioned in the thread title on sale for $150 right now. I?m not real knowledgeable on this stuff. Can anyone give me there thoughts if this would be a good set up? This is in a good price range for me, but they?ve got a 3-9x40 option as well for $200. The other reticle option is the Dead Hold BDC. This reticle is more expensive. Is it worth the money? I?m not a long range shooter, but would like to be able to feel comfortable shooting out to 400 yds. Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks.
Vortex Diamondback 3.5-10x50 scope V-Plex Reticle
- Thread starter the wanderer
- Start date
Get the best glass you can afford. I have 10+ year old Leupold's on both my rifles (VX-II and VX-III). Excellent quality!
I would love to get BDC reticle scopes, but i'm a cheap bastard and don't want to spend the $$. I've got Strelok Pro app for my phone, that helps me calculate distance, angle, adjust wind, etc.
Calculated it out...and I zero my 7MAG to be 2.83 inches high at 100 yards...that puts it dead on at 250 yards, 7.72 inches low at 350 yards, 13.74 inches low at 400 yards. Got a fantastic Leica rangefinder years ago...I would highly recommend getting a good one.
50mm objective will gather more light vs. the 40mm. But I believe you would only notice difference at dawn / dusk. Both my scopes are 40mm...I didn't want the added size/weight/cost of the 50mm.
Buddy works for Cabelas...they don't manufacture any products, instead they put the "Cabela's" label on other brands. I believe their binoculars are made by Meopta. Unsure of scopes...you might ask around.
3.5-10x and 3-9x are good power scopes for hunting. Either would suit you well.
I would love to get BDC reticle scopes, but i'm a cheap bastard and don't want to spend the $$. I've got Strelok Pro app for my phone, that helps me calculate distance, angle, adjust wind, etc.
Calculated it out...and I zero my 7MAG to be 2.83 inches high at 100 yards...that puts it dead on at 250 yards, 7.72 inches low at 350 yards, 13.74 inches low at 400 yards. Got a fantastic Leica rangefinder years ago...I would highly recommend getting a good one.
50mm objective will gather more light vs. the 40mm. But I believe you would only notice difference at dawn / dusk. Both my scopes are 40mm...I didn't want the added size/weight/cost of the 50mm.
Buddy works for Cabelas...they don't manufacture any products, instead they put the "Cabela's" label on other brands. I believe their binoculars are made by Meopta. Unsure of scopes...you might ask around.
3.5-10x and 3-9x are good power scopes for hunting. Either would suit you well.
Just remember that you are getting a $150 scope - they must be doing a closeout thing. Go to the nearest place where they sell em and look thru one - see if you like it.
If you like the Diamondback and it is a good scope for you - by all means get it. $150 is a good deal.
I got a viper on closeout for about $100 a while back and it is on a 357 magnum rifle - great setup. I found that scope worked better than a $600 Viper I tested side by side some years later - the BDC was the deciding factor - I could shoot a deer with the old scope when the reticle was not visible on the new one. Go figure.
If money is no option - go for a Meopta or Cabelas Euro line (made by Meopta).
For what it is worth - I had an expensive 2.5-10x42 scope fail on me a week before an out of state hunt - put an older VX-II 3-9x40 on there with regular reticle. Shot 1-inch groups at 250 yards and took an antelope at 340 yards with it. Worked fine. Used the old dead hold range and knew the drops out to 400 yards. I was zeroed at 250, dead hold to about 350, 12 or 16 inch drop at 400.
If you like the Diamondback and it is a good scope for you - by all means get it. $150 is a good deal.
I got a viper on closeout for about $100 a while back and it is on a 357 magnum rifle - great setup. I found that scope worked better than a $600 Viper I tested side by side some years later - the BDC was the deciding factor - I could shoot a deer with the old scope when the reticle was not visible on the new one. Go figure.
If money is no option - go for a Meopta or Cabelas Euro line (made by Meopta).
For what it is worth - I had an expensive 2.5-10x42 scope fail on me a week before an out of state hunt - put an older VX-II 3-9x40 on there with regular reticle. Shot 1-inch groups at 250 yards and took an antelope at 340 yards with it. Worked fine. Used the old dead hold range and knew the drops out to 400 yards. I was zeroed at 250, dead hold to about 350, 12 or 16 inch drop at 400.
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Thanks for the replies. Will there be any issues with mounting the scope with a 50 mm objective on that rifle? Will it need anything special brackets for mounting? That’s my biggest concern now. I’d prefer to do it myself as I don’t have much time to get to a store and talk to someone about getting the right mounting rings.
Tixslam
New Member
You will most likely need a medium ring height with a 50 mm objective, although this isn't carved in stone. Too many variables among manufactures. If you email Vortex they should be able to tell you what height rings are needed.
Great advise here. I would stick to MOA rather then BDC if your new. If the BDC is set up for that rifle and caliber your good to go. If not it’s easier to use MOA
Well by the time I decided to purchase the scope they were all gone, but they had a 4-12x40 vortex diamondback scope yet on sale for $130. I ended up purchasing this one. I don’t need the greater magnification but I can always dial it down. Rarely in Wisconsin here will I ever need to shoot past 150 yds, but I think this will work well for antelope and mule deer. Which, I’m hoping to be hunting in Wyoming next fall. Hopefully, I made a good choice. Thanks everyone for for advice.
Diamondback scopes are pretty much entry level scopes, I prefer the Vipers for my needs (a balance between quality, options, and cost) but the Diamondback glass and construction is acceptable for entry level use. The truth is that most shooters don't need the highest quality scopes, they wouldn't even be able to tell the difference between the performance of a high end scope vs. an entry level scope. If you plan on shooting at medium sized game animals at typical distances then you can pretty much use any scope that is in the $300 to $800 range and be very happy with it.
BDC scopes aren't exact science, well they are but it may not be the exact science that works with your rifle and cartridge. BDC scopes are based on the trajectory of a specific chambering, bullet weight, velocity, and ambient conditions, if any of those things don't match with your setup then the BDC marks wont be accurate. I use a Nikon BDC scope but I also use their software to develop accurate range information when I use different bullets.
Finding a quality scope isn't hard, you get what you pay for but some things are obvious when you buy the really cheap scopes ($130);
The image wont be sharp and clear over the entire view (especially the edges of your view).
The knobs wont feel crisp and sharp when you adjust them.
The lens coating wont be consistent across the entire surface.
The scope feels light and unreliable for daily use in the field.
The biggest mistake that most of us make when choosing a scope is not looking through the scope under low light conditions outside, we typically pick up the scope at the store and look through it inside the building under artificial lighting - which does not prove much of anything about the scope's ability to perform out of doors. You need to take the scope outside and look at distant details, preferably at dawn or dusk.
Check this link out for a good instruction on picking a good scope.
BDC scopes aren't exact science, well they are but it may not be the exact science that works with your rifle and cartridge. BDC scopes are based on the trajectory of a specific chambering, bullet weight, velocity, and ambient conditions, if any of those things don't match with your setup then the BDC marks wont be accurate. I use a Nikon BDC scope but I also use their software to develop accurate range information when I use different bullets.
Finding a quality scope isn't hard, you get what you pay for but some things are obvious when you buy the really cheap scopes ($130);
The image wont be sharp and clear over the entire view (especially the edges of your view).
The knobs wont feel crisp and sharp when you adjust them.
The lens coating wont be consistent across the entire surface.
The scope feels light and unreliable for daily use in the field.
The biggest mistake that most of us make when choosing a scope is not looking through the scope under low light conditions outside, we typically pick up the scope at the store and look through it inside the building under artificial lighting - which does not prove much of anything about the scope's ability to perform out of doors. You need to take the scope outside and look at distant details, preferably at dawn or dusk.
Check this link out for a good instruction on picking a good scope.
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I am a believer in you get what you pay for as well, but considering my budget this was the purchase I was able to make. I believe Vortex puts out a quality product no matter which product it is. And no I’m not sure I would see the difference between this scope and a higher end scope. With that being said what rings should I buy for this scope? The gun has Weaver style mounts. I read somewhere to use 1” medium rings. I found a set of Leupold and Vortex rings with these specs. Is this correct? I found others that are 30mm mediums. Does the 30mm relate to the objective size of the scope or the tube diameter?